Istanbul

Built as a cathedral in the sixth century under the emperor Justinian, Hagia Sophia was for nearly a thousand years the largest church in the world. It became a mosque after the Ottoman conquest in 1453, a museum in 1934, and a mosque again in 2020. Foreign visitors now enter a separate route to the upper gallery, from where you can see the vast dome and some of the surviving Byzantine mosaics.

TipVisitors' entry pauses during prayer times, particularly at midday on Fridays; check the times before you go.

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, completed in 1617, is known as the Blue Mosque for the thousands of blue Iznik tiles lining its interior. It faces Hagia Sophia across a park, and its six minarets make it one of the city's most recognisable buildings. It is a working mosque, free to visit outside prayer times.

TipWomen should cover their hair, and everyone should cover shoulders and knees; scarves are usually available at the entrance.

For almost four hundred years, this was the home and seat of government of the Ottoman sultans. Its series of courtyards leads to pavilions with views over the Bosphorus, the treasury, holding jewelled daggers and huge diamonds, and the harem, the private quarters of the sultan's family, which requires an extra ticket and is well worth it.

TipAllow at least half a day, arrive at opening time, and check the closing day before you go.

A vast underground reservoir from the sixth century, its roof held up by a forest of 336 marble columns rising from the water. Walkways lead through the dim, atmospheric space to two columns resting on carved Medusa heads.

One of the world's oldest and largest covered markets, with dozens of vaulted streets and thousands of shops selling carpets, lamps, jewellery, ceramics and leather. Get lost on purpose, and look for the old caravanserai courtyards, called hans, hidden around its edges. It is closed on Sundays.

TipBargaining is expected for most goods; take your time, and never feel pressured to buy.

The masterpiece of the great Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, built for Suleiman the Magnificent in the 1550s on one of the city's hills. It is calmer than the mosques of Sultanahmet, and its gardens have a superb view over the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus.

The former Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora, near the old city walls, holds some of the finest Byzantine mosaics and frescoes in the world, from the early fourteenth century, depicting the lives of Christ and the Virgin. Now a mosque again, it reopened to visitors in 2024, with the mosaics in the outer halls on view.

The public ferries are the best and cheapest way to see the city. Short hops from Eminönü or Karaköy across to the Asian side give wonderful views of the old city's skyline, and longer cruises run up the Bosphorus past palaces, wooden mansions and fortresses towards the Black Sea.

TipBuy a simit, a sesame bread ring, and a glass of tea on board, and sit on the open deck.

Across the Golden Horn from the old city, the medieval Galata Tower rises over steep lanes of cafés, design shops and music stores. Below it, the old port district of Karaköy has some of the city's best breakfast spots, galleries and bars, and Istiklal Avenue leads up towards Taksim Square.

The vast nineteenth-century palace on the European shore of the Bosphorus, built when the Ottoman sultans moved from Topkapı, mixes European styles with Ottoman tradition, with crystal chandeliers, a ceremonial hall under a huge dome and a crystal staircase. Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, died here in 1938.

TipVisits are by guided route; arrive early, and note that it's closed on Mondays.

A neighbourhood on the Asian side, reached by a short ferry ride, with a lively food market, independent bars and cafés. It feels more local than the European side, and it's the best place to see how Istanbul lives day to day.